The Shrew Sexism

The Taming of the Shrew is one of Shakespeare's most famous plays, and has weathered well into our modern era. For all the praises it has garnered throughout the centuries, it is curious to note that many have considered it to be one of his most controversial in his treatment of women. The "taming" of Katherine has been contended as being excessively cruel by many writers and critics of the modern era. George Bernard Shaw himself pressed for its banning during the 19th century. The subservience of Katherine has been labeled as barbaric, antiquated, and generally demeaning. The play centers on her and her lack of suitors. It establishes in the first act her shrewish demeanor and its repercussions on her family. It is only with the introduction of the witty Petruchio as her suitor, that one begins to see an evolution in her character. Through an elaborate charade of humiliating behavior, Petruchio humbles her and by the end

This article delves into the different aspects of Shakespeare’s play “the taming of the shrew”. It summarizes how Petruchio, a gentleman of Verona, “tames” Katherina, the shrew. Petruchio uses reverse psychology until Katherina becomes an obedient and compliant wife. While that is going on, there is also a competition between the suitors of Katherina’s more desirable sister, Bianca. Also, the article details the many adaptations of the play such as film, opera, ballet, and radio. One of the many themes it mentions, a major one is that money has an amazing amount of power as well as gender politics. The amount of information in this article is astonishing however the source is not very trustworthy. Anyone using this article must be careful

This statement makes Baptista take more notice of Petruchio rather than if he was the son of a beggar, which is exactly what Petruchio wants. An accomplished and educated woman, Karley Adney makes a good point by stating, “On his wedding day, one would expect Petruchio to dress properly and not in an "old jerkin," "a pair of old breeches thrice turned," carrying a rusty, broken sword while riding on a haggard, old horse” (DDDDDDDD). Petruchio upsets Baptista and Katherine when he shows up dressed as Adney mentions on his wedding day, but he gets the attention he hopes for with his bad appearance. Aiming for others to notice him more, Petruchio dresses strangely for his wedding to draw attention to the fact that Katherine is marrying him and not his clothes, much like he can change everything bad about himself. Unusual for the time, Petruchio tells Katherine to kiss him in the middle of the streets, not caring who sees or what anyone thinks of them kissing, since he just wants attention from his

“English law discriminated against women in the sixteenth century as it did in the earlier and later eras, regularly failing to provide them with the same legal rights and opportunities as men” (Stretton xii). Gender role is a big deal in the play “Taming of the Shrew” through many parts and acts. Women and men have their roles, the couples in the play show how they abuse the roles of a man and women are different from today. As a woman during the Elizabethan Era her appearance, education, social class, and marriage were all affected.

Some women never met their husbands until the day of the wedding. Marriage was also not for love as it is today, fathers married their daughters off to get land or up their social status. Some places today still do this, but in the United States this is not the norm some people are even offended by it. At one point the play gives an extreme example of sexism when Petruchio tries to tame Kate, “She ate no meat today, nor none shall eat.

All throughout Taming of the Shrew, Shakespeare sends a clear message about power and gender, and he uses many literary devices to do so which helps the reader understand the text and empathize with the characters. Although an abundance of literary devices such as symbolism and genre are used in Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew to highlight the discord between power and gender, setting plays the most important role because it reveals the rules and expectations of both genders in Elizabethan England. To begin, the induction shows how people from Elizabethan England view masculinity as above femininity. For example, when the lord orders Bartholomew to dress as Sly’s wife, he finds it comedic. This is considered funny because for a man to want to dress as a woman was unheard of in this society, and it subconsciously makes

In addition, Shakespeare intermingles the play with the idea of appearance versus reality, highlighting how truelove can exist within even the curst and is absent amongst even the most attractive. As the play progresses, we see how true this is, as Bianca and Katherina contrast one another on the interior as well, yet Katherina?s true love underneath, allows her to dwell in an effective relationship. As we know, Petruchio?s love is obvious yet Katherina?s shrewish nature masks her true love for Petruchio - proving the deceptiveness of appearances. On the other hand, even though Bianca has many desperate suitors we see how shrewish she really is as she questions, ?Am I your bird? (5.1)?. Bianca?s rhetorical question and indignant tone towards Petruchio highlights her lack of respect and her internal shrewish personality. Moreover, Bianca?s interior personality

Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew introduces the audience to the Elizabethan era. The mindset of the people in this era might be hard to grasp for the modern reader. The demeaning treatment and subsequent submission of women is a constant theme in the play. During this era, women were meant to obedient, submissive, and compliant to their husband. Katherine Minola, the daughter of Baptista defies society’s standards and is known for her outspokenness and thus labeled a “shrew.” Due to her aggressive behavior, Baptista is having a difficult time finding a suitable husband for Katherine since she is not seen as an ideal and suitable wife according to society. Petruchio arrived in Padua to essentially “wive it wealthily” (53). He purses Katherine and receives her hand in marriage. Soon after, Petruchio makes it his mission in taming Katherine into an obedient and suitable wife. Although Katherine has made it difficult and stood her own ground in the beginning, one can see her evolution into a tamed and ideal wife by the end of the play.

In Shakespeare’s comedy, Taming of the Shrew, the writer explores the idea of a woman being the property of her husband, and having to do everything that he bids her to do. Katherina, the eldest daughter of the Baptista, is well-known for her shrewish attitude. Whereas, her younger sister, Bianca, is the ideal woman-- this results to her having several suitors, and Katherina having none. Katherina eventually marries a man named Petruchio, and through a process, she becomes ‘tamed’. This play has been transposed into several film productions, Zeffirelli’s The Taming of the Shrew, and BBC and Rickards’ Shakespeare Retold; The Taming of the Shrew, are two examples. Between these two productions, Rickards’ version of Taming of the Shrew seems to

In the play The Taming of the shrew by, William Shakespeare, there are a lot of sexist remarks and feminist criticism that comes to affect at the beginning to the end of the play. Its scenario is obtained from the popular " war of the sexes" theme in which males and females are put against one another for dominance in marriage.On the other hand, men had more advantages than women throughout the Elizabethan era.

While reading Shakespeare, like many historical texts, one can find difficulty in understanding the meaning and world of the writer. What exactly is the author's purpose? Does he stand by an issue or defy it? These questions are heavily circulated in debates and studied by scholars and many different points of view have been validated over the years. One of these views is that of Russ McDonald, who claims that“The conventions of comedy, like those of all literary modes, are consistent with the customs of the society in which a comedy is produced.” (83) McDonald goes on to correct claim that The Taming of the Shrew is an instrument of “social stability” in terms of gender norms of early modern England. This can be seen through multiple aspects

Shakespeare expresses this absurdity when Bianca’s suitors pay off Petruchio to marry Kate, “Hortensio: I promised we would be contributors And bear his charge of wooing, whatsoe’er. Gremio: And so we will, provided that he win her.” (I.ii.214-216). By included words such as “charge of wooing”, and “win her” Shakespeare is expresses his disrespect for this way of life. A woman and her love is not a prize at a carnival, therefore it cannot be “won” and there should not be a “charge” for “wooing” a significant other. So, by including these phrases that clearly disturb the social expectations, Shakespeare is putting his disapproval for the way of life into a play for all to see. In the overviews of The Taming of the Shrew, a statement made about what a fool Baptista is for following these expectations, supports the idea that Shakespeare was writing a play to simply mock the way of life, “Gremio, the old pantaloon, who thinks he can buy a wife. The play’s disapproval of

Throughout the play, Petruchio’s behavior illustrates his chauvinistic mindset to force Katharina into obedience. After the wedding ceremony, Petruchio wants to head home with Kate while she disagrees and he says “I will be master of what is mine own:/She is my goods, my chattels; she is my house,/My household stuff, my field, my barn,/My horse, my ox, my ass, my any thing;” (Shakespeare 52). Instead of treating her like a human being, he speaks of her as if she is an object that he owns and controls. Also, when the newly married couple prepare to leave for Baptista’s house, Petruchio claims that the time is different from what it actually is and when Kate argues, he states, “Look, what I speak, or do, or think to do,/You are still crossing it. Sirs, let ’t alone:/I will not go to-day; and ere I do,/It shall be what o’clock I say it is” (Shakespeare 69). Petruchio is basically saying that the only opinion

The role of woman in the society has always been really controversial, whether it was 400 years ago or now. Shakespeare's two very famous comedy plays, The Taming of the Shrew and The Merchant of Venice challenge a very serious social issue, the role and importance of woman in society. We all know the stereotypical image of woman in the society but Shakespeare questions the society on these thoughts through his plays. While Shakespeare expresses his ideas in a very unique way in each of his plays, this issue is common in both plays and is portrayed very similarly. Whether it is the way woman are treated, portrayed or judged, Shakespeare repeats the same idea through difference acts and events between the two comedies. There are some

symbolizing to Katherina and the reader of how appearances can be deceptive and that he truly loves her underneath and bears no brutal intentions of